One of Adobe Acrobat’s most convenient features lets you combine files into one PDF. Best of all, the files don’t have to be other PDFs—you can combine nearly any file (e.g., Word, Excel, PowerPoint, or image) as long as you have the corresponding software on your computer.
This tutorial walks through all the steps to combine files. Plus, the bonus section at the end shows how to organize and delete pages after combining the files.
Important Note: The files you combine will be converted to the PDF format. So, files with interactive properties (such as Excel files) will be “flattened” to a text format. (However, the original file will not be affected.)
If you want to combine files without converting them to PDFs, please see “How to Create a PDF Portfolio in Adobe Acrobat” and “How to Insert Files into Existing PDFs in Adobe Acrobat.”
This tutorial is available as a YouTube video showing all the steps in real time.
Watch more than 200 other writing-related software tutorials on my YouTube channel.
The images below are from Adobe Acrobat Pro DC. The steps are the same in Adobe Acrobat Standard DC, Adobe Acrobat 2020, and Adobe Acrobat 2017. Adobe’s free PDF display software, Acrobat Reader, does not have a tool for combining files.
How to Combine Files into One PDF
- Select the Tools tab.
- Select the Combine Files button in the Tools Center.
- Select the Add Files button.
- Navigate to the first file you want to add in the Add Files dialog box.
Pro Tip: You can select multiple files within the same folder by pressing the Ctrl key while selecting additional files.
- Select the Open button.
- Select the Add Files button in the Combine Files toolbar to add additional files.
- Select Add Files from the drop-down menu.
- Repeat steps 4 through 7 until you have added all your files.
Pro Tip: Combine Specific Pages
You can combine specific pages from individual files.
- Double-click the file to expand the pages.
- Select pages you want to remove and then select the Delete button.
You can also reorder the pages by dragging them into a different position within the expanded view.
- Select the Collapse button when you are finished deleting or reordering pages.
- Select the Combine button in the Combine Files toolbar. (The process may take several minutes depending on file sizes.)
The new combined file will be called binder#.pdf.
- (Optional Step) Select the File tab followed by Save As to save your file under another name.
The next section shows how to organize and delete pages after combining the files.
How to Organize Pages after Combining Files
This method can also be used for regular (non-combined) PDFs.
- Select the Tools tab (see figure 1).
- Select the Organize Pages button in the Tools Center.
- Select and drag pages to new positions.
- Select pages and then select the Delete button to remove pages.
- Select the Close button in the Organize Pages toolbar.
After combining and organizing your pages, you can add page numbers to further unify the PDF.
Related Resources
How to Create a Blank PDF in Adobe Acrobat
How to Attach Files to PDFs in Adobe Acrobat
How to Search Multiple PDFs with Adobe Acrobat’s Advanced Search
Updated February 12, 2023